Jamaica anti-doping board resigns

Former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell is one of eight Jamaican athletes who failed drug tests this year.

All 12 members of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission have resigned amid questions about drug testing on the island that has produced some of the world's top athletes.

Sports minister Natalie Neita-Headley said the commissioners agreed to step down to give the government what she described as "a fresh start", as it reorganised the body. The resignations take effect on December 31.

"We really don't want that level of distraction. We don't want to be making any excuses as to why our athletes are doing well," Ms Neita-Headley said.

She said Jamaica would review its anti-doping legislation and appoint qualified testing officers but did not say when the new board would be appointed.

Jamaica's anti-doping programme was audited by the World Anti-Doping Agency after a former Jamaica director claimed it did not drug-test its athletes for months before they dazzled at the 2012 London Olympics.

Eight Jamaican athletes have failed drug tests this year, including former world 100-meter record holder Asafa Powell.